Time for the others to follow Aryong

Ka Aryong, (true name: Domingo Samuya) threw away 25 years of fighting the government for an ideology he thought would give better life to the people when he surrendered to Gov. Erico B. Aumentado a two weeks ago. It's a bit late in the day but any realization, no matter how late, that its not the system of government but the people who lead the government who can actually make life good or terrible is still a welcome development. It may be his physical condition (he had kidney problem) that brought him down to surrender. But it is precisely for that reason that those similarly situated should realize that a lifetime is too long for a doubtful cause but too short for a good one. If the cause they are fighting for is that good it would not take a lifetime to succeed. But that it took many lifetimes already for those who have gone before them should already tell them that the cause of communist insurgency is no longer a valid reason to fight government.

It is time to take stock of the gains and the losses. If it's a good cause indeed, the strategic stalemate should have happened ten years ago and the strategic offensive should have been concluded in success already. But as it is the cause has only suffered set back after set back with nothing to reap but heaps of bones of comrades discovered in mass graves. It may be a painful realization but the truly free life that comes after such realization is more than a consolation. Yes it will be a celebration. Aryong may have hurt more than a dozen families during his violent life in the underground but there is always virtue in pardon. I have met him and his wife in the movement sometime in 2002. It will be good to have her also formally return to the folds of the law. After all she was with him when they officially came out to return to mainstream society. And then it is time for the others to follow them. NOTES. Observers praised DENR for finally upholding the law when it padlocked last Sept. 26 the Dumaluan Beach Resort for continuously defying its orders to cease and desist operation after being found to have transgressed the law.

The resort, owned by Mayor Doloreich Dumaluan was ordered to stop from operating as it was without an environmental compliance certificate (ECC) and having violated the height restrictions for buildings within the beach zone. The Panglao Island Tourism Estate (PITE) guidelines which was also adopted into an ordinance by the Sangguniang Bayan of Panglao outlawed more than one story buildings inside the beach zone. As it appears now the padlocking of the gate was only for show since the beach resort continues to operate and enjoy brisk business. DENR is no more to be seen or heard. After all one DENR official from the regional office was heard as saying “… our job was already done.” How sad. When government agency officials think that their job is done when they have complied with orders without considering the outcome of their actions, it's almost a day of mourning for good governance. And to think that it had to take an undersecretary of DENR to carry out the order.